The invention relates in general to the plumbing of floor-connected toilets and, more particularly, to the improved toilet of the free-standing type incorporating a universal plumbing unit for facile floor drain connection of the toilet.
Toilets which are adapted to have a toilet bowl discharge connected to a floor drain connection typically are specified in terms of a so-called rough-in distance. Such distance is the measure from the wall behind the toilet to the center of the drain pipe communicating with the floor drain. The floor drain typically includes a floor flange at which said floor drain terminates.
Modern toilets for installation in houses and other dwelling units are now most frequently of the so-called free-standing type. This type having a bowl fixture which is to be mounted and secured to a floor with the bowl thereof connected to a floor drain by means of said floor flange.
Among the types of toilets to which such considerations are applicable include the so-called wash-down, reverse trap, siphon jet and vortex siphon types. All such toilets have a bowl which is flushed by siphon action with discharge to the rear of the bowl, as contrasted with the older type wash-down type toilet having discharge to the front of the bowl. The present invention is concerned with toilets having discharge to the rear of the bowl.
Such free-standing toilets include a tank fixture adapted to be secured to the bowl fixture at the rear thereof with the tank fixture proximate to the wall behind the toilet. Tanks of this type are often referred to as bowl-mounted tanks.
When installed, it is not uncommon for there to be a spacing of up to several inches between the rear of the tank and the wall behind the toilet. In order to provide for some alignment of the tank with respect to the plane of the wall, modern toilets are designed so that the tank fixture is secured to the bowl fixture by means of a bolt and washer configuration providing a rather modest adjustment of the tank fixture with respect to the bowl fixture prior to tightening of such nut and bolt securements. However, such an adjustment feature permits no more than a slight degree of dimensional variation of the tank fixture with respect to the bowl fixture.
Accordingly, a critical factor in purchasing and installing a toilet is the specification of such toilet by the so-called rough-in distance from the wall to the center of the drain pipe. A floor-mount toilet of present modern type are conventionally of a precast configuration and are manufactured in various sizes according to said desired rough-in distance. To illustrate, toilets are conventionally available in different sizes to provide rough-in distances of 10", 12" or 14", for example.
As a practical matter, the construction of a house often involves a very real problem in that after a house is "roughed in", the plastered or finished wall which will be behind a toilet after same is to be installed, frequently is found to be spaced from the floor drain by a distance other than that desired. Although the builder of the house or other dwelling may intend for there to be a rough-in distance of, for example, 12", it may be found that because of variations in plumbing, carpentry, the application of interior siding materials, or generally because of the tolerances invariably inherent in the construction of the house or other dwelling, the actual rough-in distance may be quite different, perhaps by several inches, from that desired.
If a toilet has already been ordered for installation before construction is finished, it may have been specified to have a rough-in distance different from that which will have been found to have been desirable upon completion of construction of the house or other dwelling. In such event, the toilet must be exchanged for a toilet of proper size or, in extreme cases, expensive plumbing or carpentry changes must be effected prior to installation of the toilet. In other words, as a result of such errors or inprecision in construction, the rough-in distance from the wall is an indeterminately given dimension.
A related problem is that the termination of the soil pipe constituting a floor drain which is conventionally at a floor flange may be such that the floor drain terminates at an indeterminately given elevation relative to the surface level of the floor. For example, the floor flange may be level with the floor or may be an inch or two below the actual surface of the floor when such floor has been installed, it being understood that the plumbing of the floor drain and consequently the level of the floor flange is determined precedent to the installation and finishing of the floor upon which the toilet is to be mounted.
For these reasons, it is desirable for a toilet to be of a configuration permitting accommodation for variations in the actual rough-in distance, as well as for any variations between the termination of the floor drain at its flange and the level of the floor upon which the toilet is to be mounted and secured.
An object of the present invention is, therefore, the provision of a new toilet having a drain plumbing arrangement for adjustably accommodating variations in rough-in distance.
A related object of the invention is the provision of such an improved toilet providing for accommodation of variations in the spacing between the floor drain and the floor upon which the toilet is to be mounted.
A related object of the invention is the provision of an improved plumbing unit for use in a toilet where the toilet has a siphon discharge opening which is spacedly remote from a floor drain.
A further object of the invention is the provision of such a plumbing unit which adjustably accommodates variations in the vertical and horizontal spacing between the siphon discharge opening and the floor drain.
Another object of the invention is the provision of such toilet and plumbing unit which conduce to extremely facile installation of the toilet, notwithstanding variations in rough-in distance or spacing between a floor drain flange and the floor having such floor drain.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a plumbing unit of one form which is of a simple, knock-down configuration so as to provide for compact containment or shipment thereof and yet is such as to facilitate installation.
A related object is the provision of such a plumbing unit of another form which is of such construction as to be readily deformed, bent, folded, or the like, without damage thereto and to facilitate containment or shipment thereof while achieving other objects of the invention.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of such a toilet and plumbing unit utilizing readily available, low cost and durable components and yet which is of a universal character.
Other objects and features will be apparent and, in part, pointed out hereinafter.